Once upon a time I had brilliant idea during my blogging career of posting weekly or monthly (who really remembers?) of my favorite items from Trader Joes. Yup, we can all see how that lofty goal turned out. Not so hot.

But, here I am again, back with something we cannot live without in the Goodmama household, and of course, that item comes from the one, and the only, Trader Joes.

Samantha is obsessed with them. All the babies I see in OC can’t get enough. And most of all, parents and (grandparents!) are stocking their shelves.

Women and Gents, its a Crusher Craze.

Apple Carrot, Apple Banana, and Apple..YUM, YUM!

They started off in two flavors (Apple & Apple Carrot). Yesterday on my Traders Run they had a new flavor. APPLE BANNANA! You would have thought Tory Burch came out with new flip flops. I was that excited.

We stock up on quite a few boxes each week. (Is a few considered five?!)

I LOVE Trader Joes. Our family has been shopping there for years- the food, environment, and store culture is just so “dialed in” as my dad would say. I look forward to going there once a week with a list of all my “meal plans” for the days ahead and loading up the cart with healthy, yummy options! (And some treats too-hello…this is the Goodmama household…)

There is something SO cozy about the store- so many things I love…The friendly faces, brewed coffee & food samples in the back, the beautiful flower’s, the “fearless flyer”, the wine & beer section, the seasonal items, and the recipe suggestions. My mama always taught me the importance of using coupons, looking for discounts, and finding the best price. Its one of the the many important things I believe she taught me. And at Trader Joes, I always feel like I am getting the best price. ALWAYS. I actually get SO irritated when I have to go to a “real grocery” store as I call Albertsons & Pavilions because I feel like I am getting ripped off.

When I walk in to “Traders” as I affectionately call it, I just feel at home. Even my hubby who was ANTI for years, has not only come around to liking the store-but now shares the love of it as well. There are SO many items I could “love on” and recommend, I might just have to start posting a weekly update on a “oldie” we have loved for years or a “newbie”… (I am putting this in writing so that I might have some accountability…maybe?) There are so many items that are “oldies” that my mama has used to cook for our family for years, that I now use for my little family. AND so many “newbies” that I discover on a weekly basis. My mama and I are always swapping new items we “discover” that each other just HAS to try!

I also believe they recently updated their website. If not, its new to me. Its INCREDIBLE!

Check it out: http://www.traderjoes.com/index.asp.

They have recipe suggestions, featured items (dying to bake their new cake mix and frosting), and these incredible “guides” on party planning, ingredients, cooking, pairing wines with foods, & coffee prep. Could spend at least an hour playing on their website!

My FAVORITE summer item from Traders this year was their MISSION ST. Hefeweizen. Can you say YUMMY??! Its incredible. I really enjoy beer-light beers that still have some flavor. Right after I had Samantha, I had this unusual craving for beer. Not wine, which I thought I would be wanting… but beer. And all I wanted were Hefeweizen’s. So strange-I have always liked them-but not craved them.

I honestly can’t remember if it was my mama or I who discovered this-but within the first week or two of SG’s arrival, all I know was that I was loading my cart up with this deliciousness! Trader Joe’s describes the aroma as: tropical fruit, banana, light citrus and undertones of clove-like spice. Pure SUMMER heaven. Trader Joes featured it as their Beer of the Month for August. The bottle is large-its about two beers in one. Perfect for splitting with a friend or enjoying the whole bottle once Samantha’s down for the night 🙂 Run, don’t walk to get this “goodmama find”! If your anything like me, I buy more than a couple bottles of this Mission St. Hefeweizen at a time-I have been at Traders when they have run out-and I wasn’t a happy mama! Enjoy this yummy treat-and be sure to let me know what you think about it-I hope you love it as much as I do!